Valentine Rose

Caring for your Valentine Rose

Keep this arrangement somewhere cool and out of direct sun, and stand it in clean, deep water — the roses are heavy drinkers and the hydrangea takes up moisture through its petals as much as its stem, so a daily misting of the bloom keeps it from collapsing early. Recut the woody protea and leucadendron stems on a sharp angle so they keep drinking, and handle the orchid and gerbera gently, as their stems are the most fragile in the mix and dislike being crowded. Change the water every couple of days and strip any leaves sitting below the waterline to keep it clear. The carnation, anthurium and orchid are forgiving, so let them anchor the display while you ease out the softer roses and scabiosa as they go.

A note on your specific blooms

• Anthurium — Anthurium prefers warmth — keep it away from the cold and wipe the leaf gently.
• Carnation — Cut stems cleanly between the swollen leaf joints rather than through them, as carnations draw water best when the node itself is left intact.
• Gerbera — Gerbera has fragile stems — use shallow, clean water and support the heads.
• Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
• Leucadendron — Strip any lower leaves below the waterline and keep stems in clean, shallow water, as wet foliage on this woody-stemmed accent fouls quickly.
• Lily — Gently pinch out the orange pollen-bearing anthers as blooms open to protect petals and linen from staining.
• Orchid — Keep orchid stems in cool, clean water away from ripening fruit, whose ethylene gas makes the blooms drop early.
• Protea — Strip any foliage below the waterline and refresh the water every two to three days, as protea leaves foul water quickly and shorten the bloom's life.
• Rose — Roses drink heavily — re-cut the stems at an angle every couple of days.
• Scabiosa — Its slender stems are thirsty and bend easily, so keep the vase well topped up and give them a clean diagonal recut every few days.